A commotion broke out in the courtyard.

Everyone in the Xie family came upon hearing the news.

Xie Jingyu came from the front courtyard. Seeing many servants watching, he said coldly, “Everyone withdraw. Go do what you’re supposed to do.”

He walked into the courtyard and happened to hear Xie Xian’s words. His face flushed with anger, and he stepped forward to slap her across the face. “Unfilial daughter! How could I have given birth to such an unfilial thing as you!”

Xie Xian stubbornly pressed her lips tight, unwilling to even glance at her own biological father.

Xie Jingyu looked toward Yun Chu. “The Yun family case has been decided. The crime of treason has been confirmed. Over a hundred people in the entire clan will be executed after autumn.”

Yun Chu’s eyes widened in horror. “No—the Yun family is innocent. I must beat the drum to protest this injustice. I must petition the Emperor…”

She took a step forward.

But she had forgotten she had knelt for nearly three months. Her legs had long lost their supporting strength. She had barely taken one step before falling to the ground.

Xie Jingyu watched her miserable appearance and somehow thought of over ten years ago, the day she married him.

At that time, she was only fifteen years old, wearing phoenix crown and ceremonial robes, with a ten-mile bridal procession of red, becoming his bride. But that night, something happened that he still didn’t want to face to this day.

After that, he never touched her.

Initially, she was a brilliant pearl that slowly became covered in dust. Day after day for over ten years, she gradually began to wither.

Now with the Yun family’s disaster, in just these three short months, she seemed to have aged thirty years, her face full of vicissitudes. She was only thirty-four years old this year…

“Madam, you and I have been husband and wife for nearly twenty years. I am not completely without feelings toward you.” Xie Jingyu spoke slowly. “Now, I give you two paths. First, write a severance letter, completely severing ties with the Yun family. Then my Xie family will still give you a place to stay.”

“Impossible!”

Yun Chu shouted out.

The Yun family gave birth to her and raised her. Yun family blood flowed in her body. She could never sever ties with the Yun family.

“Then only the second path remains.” Xie Jingyu looked at her. “You take your own life and preserve some dignity for yourself.”

Yun Chu gritted her teeth, squeezing out four words from her chest cavity. “I won’t die!”

She had to live well—live to overturn the verdict for the entire Yun clan. The Yun family had been loyal for generations. How could they die covered in filth…

“Then what can be done?” Xie Jingyu sighed. “You won’t take the first path, nor the second. Madam, what do you say should be done?”

“Father, don’t waste so many words on her.” Xie Shiwei spoke up. “The Yun family’s treason is an established fact. Anyone associated with the Yun family will be viewed with suspicion. If we divorce her, my Xie family will definitely be criticized by the people as heartless. Having her take her own life is the best strategy. Elder brother, don’t you agree?”

Xie Shi’an’s thin lips were pressed tightly together.

He thought of the first time he met Yun Chu. At that time, Yun Chu had just lost her own child, her face full of haggard pain.

He had called her “Mother” for the first time, and her face immediately showed a smile, easily accepting him.

She taught him principles of conduct, engaged renowned teachers for him, sent him to the Imperial Academy, paved all the roads for him, allowed him to establish himself at court.

Over these years, he had indeed gradually come to regard her as his legitimate mother, willing to be filial to her…

But what shouldn’t have happened was that the Yun family shouldn’t have opposed Prince Gongxi, shouldn’t have stood on the opposite side from Prince Gongxi…

Without bringing down the Yun family, Prince Gongxi could never defeat the Crown Prince… For the Xie family’s future, to overturn the verdict for the He family, for the Xie family’s position after the new emperor’s enthronement, he could only be forced to act against the Yun family…

But he had never wanted to take her life.

Xie Shi’an spoke up. “Mother, as long as you sever ties with the Yun family, you will still be the Xie family’s mistress. I will be filial to you for life.”

Standing not far away, He Shi’s face showed discomfort.

An’er was her biological son, yet in his heart and eyes he only regarded Yun Chu as his mother.

She was grateful that Yun Chu had exhausted all efforts to pave the way for An’er and Wei’er, but at the same time, she resented Yun Chu for taking away her sons…

Yun Chu’s eye sockets filled with bright red blood vessels. She raised her head. “Shi’an, if you agree to one more request of mine, I’ll write the severance letter.”

Xie Shi’an breathed a sigh of relief and crouched down. “Mother, please speak.”

Just then, Yun Chu suddenly pulled a gold hairpin from her sleeve and stabbed it toward Xie Shi’an’s neck.

Although Xie Shi’an dodged, his neck was cut with a wound.

Then he fell backward, collapsing on the ground.

Yun Chu lunged forward.

Xie Shi’an roared angrily, “Shiwei, save me!”

As the dignified Grand Secretary, when had he ever been so embarrassed?

He had spared her life.

Yet she actually wanted to kill him.

Indeed, only women and petty people are difficult to raise in this world.

Xie Shiwei drew the sword from his waist and pressed it against Yun Chu’s neck. Instantly blood flowed down her neck.

“Stop.” Yuan Shi walked over trembling. “Shiwei, lower your blade. That’s your mother.”

Xie Shiwei said coldly, “A criminal’s daughter doesn’t deserve to be my mother!”

“But she is truly and undeniably your legitimate mother!” Yuan Shi stepped forward and took the long blade from Xie Shiwei’s hand. “If you kill her, you’ll bear the crime of matricide. Why ruin your own future?”

After speaking, she crouched down, her face full of tears as she looked at Yun Chu. “Chu’er, stop tormenting yourself. Write the severance letter…”

Concubine Jiang wept along with her, saying in a low voice, “Madam, where there’s life, there’s hope. First save your life, then plan slowly…”

“We cannot let her keep this life!” He Shi walked out from the shadows. “She just nearly killed Shi’an. If we keep her in the Xie family, she’ll definitely attack Shi’an again!”

Yun Chu’s eyes were full of blood-red.

She looked at He Shi before her—the head servant in her husband Xie Jingyu’s courtyard, deeply trusted by Xie Jingyu and beloved by several children.

Only after the Yun family’s disaster did she learn that He Shi was actually the biological mother of Xie Shi’an and his two siblings.

Those three children called her “Mother” on the surface, but actually only regarded He Shi as their real mother. No matter how much she gave to the children, a single word from He Shi behind the scenes could make all her efforts come to nothing… Children who couldn’t be raised to loyalty would naturally turn around and bite the hand that fed them.

He Shi saw the towering hatred in Yun Chu’s eyes, and her hands couldn’t help trembling.

She averted her gaze and took out a packet of medicinal powder from her sleeve. “This was sent by Ping’er a few days ago. She said that when the time comes, feed it to Madam.”

Although she didn’t say it explicitly, everyone knew the powder contained poison.

She continued, “Now Ping’er is deeply favored by His Majesty and must know His Majesty’s intentions. If we keep a daughter of the Yun family, the Xie family will inevitably draw suspicion. My lord, Shi’an, it’s time to be ruthless and make a decision.”

Xie Jingyu looked toward Xie Shi’an.

He had always trusted this son. Whatever Shi’an decided to do, that’s what would be done.

Xie Shi’an’s neck was still bleeding.

All the respect he had for Yun Chu as his mother was destroyed by that stab she had just made.

He closed his eyes. “Then let us send Mother on her final journey.”